The Black Cygnet
by Paris Bridgewater
Summary: The child of good; created in evil, the child of true love. Twice the dark than the light, and magic. Raw, unpredictable magic. That's what the prophecy says. Emma Swan is scared. She didn't even know Dark Ones could procreate, until she found she was pregnant. Killian Jones, the man she loves, is on a revenge-hungry power craze.
1. Some Memories Change Everything

Emma woke up alone on the king size bed in the master bedroom of her house in Storybrooke. The house that Killian had selected. The one that was large enough for a family one day. A family that, unbeknownst to Killian, had already been started.

Emma internally groaned. Since she got her memories back yesterday, she had remembered she was pregnant. She was in what was probably the screwiest situation in the history of history: 1. She was pregnant; 2. Killian was The Dark One; 3. So was she.

Emma laid on the bed. At least the heroes where on her side again. She could definitely tell Mary Margaret and Regina about the baby, just not David. But then again, if Mary Margaret knew, it would only be so long until David knew too. But what Emma truly feared was telling the other Dark One. She had no idea how Killian would react. Would he be happy, or angry? Maybe there was chance it could lower him from his cloud of darkness and lead him back into the light. Maybe. Just maybe.

But there was definitely no use in just lying around in bed in a daze. Emma decided that she would tell her mother. So she whisked on her Dark Swan clothes and- wait. If she was going to go tell Mary Margaret that she was pregnant, she should probably put something on a little less evil. After a puff of black smoke, she was dressed in jeans, a toque, and her favourite red leather jacket. She then sent herself over to Mary Margaret's loft using dark magic.

When she got to the loft, Emma raised her fist to knocking the door, but was interrupted by her mother opening the door with Baby Neal on her arm.

"Emma?" She asked. "What are you doing here?"

Emma looked into Mary Margaret's eyes and took the plunge. "I'm pregnant," she said.

"What?" Mary Margaret said in shock, nearly dropping Neal. "Are you sure? Hook? When? How? You know what, I don't want to know."

Emma just nodded as her mother babbled. "In Camelot... I remember."

"Does Hook- Killian know?"

Upon hearing this, Emma just broke down into tears." How am I supposed to tell him?" She said, crying a river. "It's not like I can just walk up to him in the street."

Mary Margaret invited her crying daughter inside. The loft looked just like it always did, and Mother and Daughter sat side by side on the bed in the back corner, Emma crying into Mary Margaret's shoulder.

Alerted by the sound of crying, David made his way downstairs. When he saw his daughter sobbing into his wife's shoulder, he ran over to help comfort, knowing it was the pirate's fault.

"Emma, sweetheart, what's wrong?" David asked.

Mary Margaret looked into Emma's emerald eyes, asking for permission to tell. Emma sighed. David would know soon enough anyway.

"I- I'm pregnant," Emma said. Hopefully she'd made the right choice, telling David so soon.

David couldn't believe his ears. "Bloody pirate," he spat.

"Dad, whatever you do, please don't hurt Killian," Emma said, worried something might happen to the man she still had feelings for, regardless of what Killian had said to her.

David knew that getting angry would only upset his already broken daughter further, so he just sat there, hugging the two women.

After Emma told her parents that she wished to be left alone, she sat there on her parents bed. She decided that she would go to Regina's for support. Emma's parents would support her, but they couldn't even begin to comprehend what Emma was going through. If anyone new about confusing pregnancies, it was Regina. Granted, with Regina, Robin, and Zelena, Regina wasn't the pregnant one. But, Emma knew, she would still understand. So she transported herself to Regina's using her now ordinary way, dark magic.

"I'm pregnant," Emma said, for the third time that day. But when Regina answered, Emma heard two voices, one belonging to a 13-year-old boy on the stairs.

"You're what?!" Both Henry and Regina said, jaws practically on the floor. Henry ran downstairs to his adoptive and biological mothers. He jumped on to the couch Emma was sitting on. "Mom, are you serious?" He said, conflicted on whether to congratulate Emma or ask her if she was okay.

"Yeah, kid, I'm serious," Emma responded. For a second, it looked like Emma was about to cry, but then she burst out laughing. Tears did stream down her face, as she laughed almost manically at how awful the whole situation was. "I'm hoping that maybe this might bring him back to earth."

"Him? Who?" Regina asked, although she already knew the answer.

"Mom, I'm pretty sure it's Killian, right mom?"

Emma stopped laughing. "Yes, it's Killian's baby."

"Tell him," Henry said, knowing that with Killian a Dark One, Emma would sooner run than confront him head on.

"Emma, you have to," Regina ordered. "What if you never got the chance to?"

The Dark Swan thought about this for a moment. "Alright, Regina," she said. "I'll tell him soon."


	2. For Sure

Emma sat at the small desk in the living room of her house. She looked up at the painting above her, remembering when Killian froze her with the squid ink. Emma had never thought it would come to that, but she hadn't thought that a lot of things that happened would happen. Namely, her pregnancy.

Speaking of which, maybe she wasn't as sure as she thought. Camelot's methods of pregnancy testing weren't all that accurate. I'd better get an actual pregnancy test from this world, she thought.

Emma snuck into the Shoppers Drug Mart in Storybrooke. Sure she had told her parents, Henry, and Regina, but Emma definitely did not want the rest of the town to know. That would be a great way for Killian to find out. "The whole bloody town knew before me?!" She imagined him saying.

Emma walked up the aisle with the pregnancy tests. She didn't want spend too much time there, so she just grabbed a bunch of tests and put then in a basket. Then she walked over to some other aisles and threw a bunch of random junk into her basket to cover the tests.

When she was purchasing her items at the till, the sales clerk scanned the pregnancy tests and looked up at Emma with wide eyes. Emma did not need this. Since she was still the Dark One, she erased the clerks memory of selling her the pregnancy tests and walked out of the drugstore.

When Emma got home, she ulled out all the stuff she bought from Shoppers. She had actually bought a pack of Dora the Explorer Band-Aids. Seriously? That wasn't the only strange thing that she had purchased. In her shopping bag were three frozen pizzas, mascara, a knee brace, and a Barbie toothbrush. After sifting through all the odds and ends, she found her pregnancy tests. All seven of them. Emma snorted. She would definitely be sure. The Dark Swan grabbed the tests and headed upstairs to the bathroom.

After doing what she needed to, she put all the tests upside down on the counter and set the timer on her iPhone for five minutes. She sat there waiting, tossing the box of Band-Aids from hand to hand.

When the time was finally up, she flipped over each test with her eyes closed. She knew what they would all say, but she just wanted to be absolutely positive. Well, that was a stupid play on words, but you catch my drift. Emma slowly opened her eyes. She slowly scanned the tests. Two blue lines. Pregnant; five weeks. Pregnant. Two pink lines. One pink line. Pregnant. Two blue lines. Only one test was negative. She was absolutely sure that she was pregnant now. Emma knew she should go tell Killian and then maybe they could get the darkness out of both of them. But what if Killian reacted badly? Maybe should make a run for it- no. That was what old Emma did, and Emma was better than that now. She would go tell the other Dark One. It won't be easy, she thought as put on her coat and started to head out the door, but it's something I have to do.


	3. To Hell and Back

She never got to tell him. Regina had been right. She should have told him sooner.

"Emma, I'm sorry," Regina said. Emma just stared into the darkness all around them and slowly sunk down onto the bottom of the boat, hugging her knees to her chest. Regina and Mary Margaret sat down next to her. Emma leaned her head on her mothers shoulder.

Mary Margaret sighed. "Emma, do you know what the one thing about true love that's always the hardest to believe is? That true love can't be destroyed, not even by the strongest sword in all the realms. We will find him."

"I know," the Saviour replied. "But sometimes I feel like it's too dangerous for me to love. Everyone I have ever been with is dead." Emma smiled softly. "I warned Killian about that a few months ago. And he still loved me all the same."

Regina looked ashamed. "I feel bad for saying this out loud, but I can't help feeling that you're lucky for being able to have a child with the man you love," the queen sighed. "I will never be able to have a child with Robin. We will never be connected in such a special way. But I really am sorry, Emma. I will do whatever I can to help you find Hook."

"Killian," Emma corrected.

"Killian," Regina echoed.

After dismissing Regina and Mary Margaret, telling Regina to discuss names for Baby Hood with Robin (Pistachio just wasn't going to work) and convincing Mary Margaret that she was fine, Emma sat alone, absentmindedly stroking her still flat abdomen.

"Hey."

Emma looked up to see Henry standing above her. "Hey Henry," she said.

"Do you want some food? Sailing to Hell isn't exactly the fastest of journeys," Henry said, trying to lighten the mood.

His attempt at humour went unnoticed. "Yeah, I guess I could eat," Emma nodded. "Peanut butter and onion rings?"

Henry scrunched his nose. "More like whatever my mom can create in the fiery depths of Hell."

"Right, magic," Emma said. Noticing Henry's face, she added, "It's what the baby wants."

Henry nodded slowly. "I think Robin and my mom picked out a name for Baby Hood. Alouette. Kind of bird themed, like in the French Canadian song."

Emma smiled. "That's a cool name," she said. "Maybe when we find Killian, and I tell him about the baby, we could discuss baby names. He'd like something that was ocean and sailing themed."

Henry sat down opposite Emma and looked her in the eye. "I know you miss him, Mom," he said. "But we will find him. He's the closest thing to a father that I have."

This made Emma feel better."You know I love you, kid, right?" She asked, pulling him into a hug.

The young author smiled. "Yeah, I do."

"I'm going to scout our path," Emma said with a cheeky smile.

"And I'll go replenish our water supply," Killian said, smiling back, before walking off in the other direction.

Emma walked through the trees. She smiled to herself. Maybe both of them being the Dark Ones wouldn't be so bad.

"I wonder what would happen if the Dark Ones had a child," a voice said, alerting her. Emma spun around to see an apparition of Rumpelstiltskin behind her. Rumpelstiltskin morphed into Nimue. "I suppose I should speak for myself now, in case you suppose this is 'girl talk'."

Emma looked Nimue in the eye. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

Nimue continued. "Though I guess I won't have to wait long to find out." She saw Emma's confusion and smirked. "You're pregnant, Dark One."

Emma stumbled backwards. "No, no, you're lying," she said, trying to sound sure and failing miserably.

"Are you so confidant? All us unfortunates in your head had to put up with quite the show of love there," Nimue said with a snort.

The blonde blushed profusely. "Even if I was, how would you know?"

"Us inside your head know more about you than you think."

Emma shivered. There was something creepy about a little voice in your head telling you that you're pregnant.

"Mom, Mom, wake up!" Nimue said in an all too familiar voice.

Emma opened her eyes and saw Henry standing over her. "We're here!" He said.

The Saviour looked around. Sure enough, they weren't in that tunnel of never-ending darkness anymore. But whatever she expected the Underworld to be like, it wasn't this. The sky was blue, though it had some storm clouds to the east. There was a small town on the shore, with a building that looked like it was missing it's too half and cars upside down in the streets. Some buildings were charred, but still intact. It was a perfect vision of Storybrooke, but with some hellish differences.

Alone on the shore, a little ways away from the town and with a beautiful view of the sea, sat a beautiful blue house. Emma's heart leaped. It was their house, their future. It was her and Killian's home by the sea.

They were almost at the docks now, and Emma jumped out of the boat. The water was shallow from here on, so she ran all the way to the shore. She tore off her boots, still running and chucked them on the sand. Heels would only slow her. She ran, faster than ever before. She sprinted to the front gate of the house, internally laughing at the white picket fence. Emma rushed through the front yard and opened up the front door, not even bothering to knock. It was open, and she jumped right into the house. It was one of the only buildings in the underworld that wasn't in dire need of repair, and Emma looked around the beautiful promise that some called a house. Laying on the couch like Emma had only a day before, was a certain smouldering pirate with the ocean in his eyes.

"Killian," Emma breathed.

Killian sat up and saw his true love standing in front of the doorway. "Swan," he said in amazement.


	4. And You Are?

Emma had thought Killian would start babbling when he saw her, but Killian just slowly got up from the couch and stood, there speechless.

When he did start talking, he only managed to say, "You're dead."

Emma laughed lightly and ran up and pulled Killian into a hug. "No, I'm still alive. We've come to bring you back to Storybrooke."

"We?" Killian asked.

As if on cue, the rest of Emma's friends and traveling companions burst through the still-open door. Emma nodded. "Henry, Regina, Robin, my mom and dad, and, um, Mr. Gold."

Killian didn't even look at the Crocodile. He just gazed into Emma's jade green eyes. They held the world inside them, and Killian knew that those were the eyes that he never wanted to stop gazing into. He crushed his lips against Emma's, thanking his lucky stars that he had gotten to see her again.

When they pulled apart for air, Emma looked down at her feet. "There's something I have to tell you," she said, meekly.

"What is it, love?"

Emma looked up into Killian's ocean-blue eyes, and smiled. "I'm pregnant."

"How long have you known?"

"Uh, well, the Rumpelstiltskin apparition told me in Nimue form back when we were in Camelot, but I wasn't sure until just before you, um, died, and I wasn't sure what you'd do as the-"

Emma was cut off as Killian pulled her in for a passionate kiss. The rest of Emma & Co. stood behind semi-

awkwardly, David telling himself that is was okay, Emma was thirty. Killian put his hand to Emma's abdomen and smiled when they broke apart for air. Forehead to forehead, they looked into each others eyes. It was all they needed. Just to be together.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Emma."

Regina cleared her throat. "We should get out of here quickly."

"Right," Emma said. She reached her hand into her chest and stifled a scream as she pulled out her heart.

"Swan, what are you doing?" Killian asked in shock when he saw what Emma was doing.

Emma broke her heart in half. She looked into her pirate's ocean eyes. "I'm saving you," she said as she put half her heart back in her own chest, and the other half in Killian.

Killian took a deep breath, and he looked alive again. But their happiness was cut short. They turned around to see Gold disappear in a puff of smoke.

"No!" Emma shouted, exasperated. "That was our ride home!"

"Love, you don't have another way home?" Killian looked extremely fearful for the others. "Because, you do not want to meet the mayor of this town."

Regina shuddered. There were a lot of people who would love to see her down here, permanently. "Who's the mayor?"

Killian shivered as if uttering her name would bring about her terror. "Cora."

Regina bit her lip. It was worse than she thought. But a different realization hit her. "Emma, were you the Dark One at conception?"

Emma slowly nodded.

"And Hook was too?"

"Yeah... Where are you going with this?"

Regina face-palmed. "Is there a magical midwife in the Underworld?"

In a puff of blue smoke, a girl of about twenty appeared. She had Raven hair and ice blue eyes. She strangely looked a lot like Killian, but nobody said so. She looked around. "I have been summoned?" She said, expectantly.

Emma looked at her, suspicious. "What land are you from?"

"Well, it's possible to be born in the Underworld," she began, looking bored. "My mom died, then I happened. I think my dad's still alive, but I wouldn't know."

Emma still didn't trust her. "Who's your mother?"

The girl smiled. "Her name is Milah."

Bloody hell. "Milah?!" Killian asked, shocked. "How come your only, what, twenty, then?"

The girl looked confused as to why he was asking her such a question, but answered anyway. "People age in the Underworld, just slowly." She stuck out her hand. "I'm Elizabeth, by the way."

Emma couldn't believe what was happening. She looked at her pirate boyfriend. "Wasn't Milah Rumpelstiltskin's ex-wife? That you, you know, had an affair with?"

But Killian was still recovering from the shock. When no one took Elizabeth's hand, she shrugged and let it fall to her side.

"So, why did you summon me?" She asked.

Regina was the first to recover. "Would you happen to deal in magical midwifery?"

"Actually, yeah," Elizabeth said. "With all the Dark Ones and those that wield magic coming down here, it's almost a required skill. What do you need to know?"

"What do you know about Dark Ones and babies?" Regina asked.

Elizabeth looked confused. "Why do you ask?"

"One of us happens to be pregnant," Regina said, pointing to Emma. "And was a Dark One when she got that way."

Elizabeth scrunched her eyebrows. "A Dark One? As in there are others?"

Emma sighed. "So was Killian." Seeing Elizabeth's confusion, she added, "The father."

"Not why I was confused," Elizabeth said. "Why were there more than one?"

"Long story; I'll explain later," Emma said. "But what would happen?"

Elizabeth pondered this, and then paled. "Would you happen to have another title? Something that represents good?"

"I'm The Saviour."

"No, no, no, no, no," Elizabeth said, looking worried as she paced across the floor. "The child of good, created in evil, the child of true love."

Hearing this, Emma and Killian absentmindedly moved closer together.

Elizabeth waited before continuing. "I heard of a prophecy once. Your child will have twice as much possibility for darkness then good. They will have magic; raw, unrefined, unpredictable magic."

Emma leaned into the pirate's shoulder. This couldn't happen. Her baby needed to be safe. "What can we do to stop this?"

Elizabeth sighed. "What can we ever do?"

David cut in. "This isn't a time to be philosophical. My grandchild could be in trouble."

Elizabeth humphed. Even though Emma didn't want to, she liked Elizabeth. She reminded Emma of herself. "Cut to the chase, Elizabeth. What can I do to help my baby?"

Killian's eyes lingered on Emma's abdomen. He was already feeling protective, but he still hadn't gotten over the fact that Elizabeth was Milah's kid. And maybe his.

Elizabeth spoke, waking him from his daze. "I don't really know... I deal with, you know, telling people stuff about they're unborn kids. I also do ultrasounds, but that doesn't exactly seem like the first thing in your mind right now." Elizabeth brightened up. "Maybe you could come back to my mom and I's place. She might know something, and you seem to know her."

Emma turned to Hook. "Is this your kid?!" She whisper-shouted.

Killian looked exasperated. "How would I know?"

Emma thought about this. "Let's go see Milah, okay? I'm sure she'd know." She spun back around to face Elizabeth, who looked at her expectantly. "Let's go talk to your mother," she said.


	5. A Long Walk Through The Underworld

Emma and Killian walked very close together on the way to Elizabeth's house. They gazed into each other's eyes and smiled, completely in love. Regina cleared her throat. "So, Elizabeth, you have magic?" Elizabeth spun around, defensive. "How do you know that?!" She demanded. Regina rolled her eyes. This Elizabeth girl was so much like Emma. "You appeared in a puff of blue smoke. That's how I know." Elizabeth's cheeks reddened. "Oh, um, yeah, that." "Yes, that. How come you have magic?" Elizabeth sighed. "It's a long story." "We've got time." Elizabeth brushed her hair out of her eyes and began... Elizabeth ran through the forest, her dark hair whipping her face. The cold stung her cheeks, but she couldn't stop. They would catch up to her if she stopped. But what if she was cornered at the edge of the Underworld? She couldn't let that happen. Oh, why hadn't she listened to her mother and stayed away from sword? Now the Black Knights would surely kill her. Elizabeth saw the surreal image of her dead city at night, coming up behind the trees. She bolted into town and sprinted down an alleyway. She looked around to figure out where in town she was. She saw the back entrance to Granny's Diner, all boarded up. Elizabeth tore though the boards, clawing her way to a hiding place, to an escape. If she could get in there, she would be safe. She quickly took enough of the boards down to open the door, and she wasted no time running inside. But when she got inside, she was greeted by the sight of many figures dressed in robes. Scared, Elizabeth hid behind a booth. She looked up at the hooded demons, curiosity getting the better of her. They each looked into a small crystal sphere, chanting about revenge. One of them reached out and touched the crystal orb, reaching a hand out to another one of them. Soon, they were all holding hands, joint as if for a symbolic sacrifice. Bolts of lightning shot out of the sphere, one hitting Elizabeth. She blacked out, darkness seeping into her vision. "...and when I woke up, bam, I had magic," Elizabeth said, finishing her story. Regina thought for a moment, wondering if these 'hooded demons' could be The Dark Ones. Creepy-sacrificial-chanting-seances definitely sounded like something they'd do. She shuddered, hoping she wouldn't have to deal with anymore Dark Ones than Gold, but with her luck, it didn't seem likely. "That's quite strange. I wonder if-" Regina was cut off by a woman appearing right in front of her, a woman Regina had hoped she would never have to see again. "Hello, Regina." "Hello, Mother." Cora began to walk around the group, who were now frozen in place. "Whatever are you doing in my lovely little town? Surely you haven't been killed yet." Mary Margaret attempted to look defiant. "We are bringing someone back." Cora just laughed. "You're bringing someone back? This is the Underworld. You can't just bring someone back." Emma protectively stood in front of Killian. "Oh yeah? Watch us!" "Listen, you sad little excuses," Cora began rather softly, "there is no way for you to get out of the Underworld, so I might as well give you the grand tour." "No thanks. I'm pretty sure we can find our way around post-apocalyptic Storybrooke ourselves. Now if you'll excuse us," Emma said as she walked forward, Cora surprisingly moving out of the way, "we have somewhere to be." "You can't escape the Underworld!" Cora shouted to the heroes as the walked of into the distance. "You don't know what we can and can't do!" Emma yelled back, leading the group as the day turned to night. - Henry had walked ahead of the group the whole time. This was turning out to be an interesting trip so far, and he felt that he needed to prove himself. But, oh, how he missed Violet. Her dark hair, her chocolate and coloured eyes, and her gentle nature. "Hey, kid, you seem pretty wrapped up in your thoughts," Emma said, interrupting his train of thought. "What're you thinking about?" Emma stood directly behind Henry, and was holding Killian's hook. Henry looked around. They were on a dark street, surrounded by rickety old buildings. Most of the buildings looked like apartment complexes. Many of them looked like they had been ablaze recently, and more still ablaze long ago. Henry took a deep breath, inhaling some of the smoke that clung to the air. He coughed a couple times before speaking. "I'm not thinking about anything, really." Emma rolled her eyes. "Yeah right, but fine, be secretive." "Do you miss anyone back in Storybrooke?" He asked. "Hmm? No, not really. Everyone I would miss is right here." Emma responded, brushing her golden hair out of her eyes. "That's it up there!" Elizabeth shouted from the behind Emma, pointing to one of the only intact buildings on the street. It was a tall apartment building covered with tarps flapping in the wind. Though parts of the building were singed, it still stood tall. Elizabeth's windswept hair whipped her face as she ran towards the only home she had ever known. Her feet stomped the pavement. She took a flying leap onto the sidewalk, even though it was only an inch taller than the road. Elizabeth brushed the tarps that were a sad attempt at doors aside. She smiled upon seeing her mother, not bothering to check if the rest of the group had followed behind her. Milah smiled and pulled her daughter in for a hug when she saw her. "Where were you, Elizabeth?" "I found a few strangers in The Underworld. You wouldn't believe it! They're all living!" A voice from behind Elizabeth was heard as the heroes minus one pushed back the tarp and walked into the abandoned lobby. "Yeah, we are. Elizabeth told us about a prophecy? About the child of good and evil?" Milah's face darkened. "You told them about the prophec—" A certain handsome pirate stepped from behind the tarp. Upon seeing the woman who had just been talking he paled. "Milah," he whispered. Emma instinctively moved closer to Killian. "Killian," Milah said in shock. Regina rolled her eyes. "Okay, we've established that you two know each other. Now, back to the prophecy?" "Regina, it's not as simple as that. Killian and Milah, they used to be lovers," Emma said. Milah's eyes kept ping-ponging back between Killian and Elizabeth. "How are you here?" "Like I said, Mama, they're from the land of the living," Elizabeth said, her face animated. "I'm the one who found them, you know. They would have been dead if it weren't for me. Eaten up by the blind witch or worse, their hearts stashed away in Cora's vault." Sensing some tension, Mary Margaret spoke. "It's been a long day, and it's getting late. Is there somewhere we could spend the night, and deal with this in the morning?" "Oh, sure," Milah said, yet her voice was filled with uncertainty. "Just head upstairs." She pointed in the direction of the stairway. "Thank you," Emma said as everyone of the heroes walked up the stairs to find a room in the building to rest their heads for the night. Emma and Killian in one room, Robin and Regina in another, and Henry staying in a room with his grandparents. In Emma and Killian's room, the two laid in bed. "Emma? You know I love you, right? That this doesn't change anything?" "I do, and I love you too," she replied, though her face was etched with worry. 


	6. Morning Sickness and a Certain Girl

Emma searched through the closet in the small apartment. Whoever used to live here definitely left in a rush. The tiny closet was filled with clothes, much to her surprise. The flaxen haired saviour pulled a simple, undecorated pair of jeans off of a hanger. The tops in the closet were much too frilly for her taste, so she began to walk over to a small dresser on the other side of the room. She only made it halfway there, before rushing into the little bathroom. Ugh, morning sickness.

After she finished puking in the bathroom, to which Killian slept soundly, she went back to the dresser. Above the dresser was a small mirror. Emma looked up from sifting through the drawers and saw her ragged appearance. Her blonde hair was matted and clung to her face with sweat, and her face had taken on quite the pallor. Emma looked away from the looking glass and turned her attention back to the clothes. At the bottom of the drawer, lay an ocean blue lace top. Sure, it wasn't something she'd normally wear, but she couldn't afford to be choosy in the Underworld. She put on the top, and she ran a hand through her hair in a vain attempt to smooth it. Emma wiped her hand across her sweaty brow. All of the sudden, Emma kicked the bureau in anguish. "I'll never get out of Hell," she said to no one in particular.

A voice from behind her alerted Emma,"Yes, you will. We will."

Emma turned around. Killian Jones stepped forward. His messy black hair hung in front of beautiful azure eyes. He walked towards Emma and pulled her in for a passionate kiss, before trailing kisses down her neck. Emma dried her eyes, though she didn't remember crying. Killian pulled away slightly. He looked Emma in the eye and tipped her chin up. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know if we'll ever get out of the Underworld. I don't want to raise a baby here, Killian! I hardly know how to raise a baby, let alone a baby in Hell!"

Killian held Emma against his chest. "Shh," he said, softly. "We have to go downstairs now, okay? We need to talk to Milah and Elizabeth, and everyone else you brought with you."

Emma nodded. She and Killian walked out the door, heading down the stairs to what would end in obvious chaos.

Milah faced Elizabeth, and though Emma could not see Milah's face, both women seeming angry about something. "I told you you had to work in the shop every night."

Elizabeth pouted. "But Mama, Jasmine doesn't have to work anywhere. Neither does Peter."

Milah's eyes went wide as saucers. "Your socializing with–"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Other Peter."

Emma decided to announce their presence, feeling awkward,"I hope we're not interrupting something important..."

Milah and Elizabeth turned around quickly. "Your not interrupting anything."

"Nothing, I swear."

Emma eyed them suspiciously. "Sure..." She said, before remembering why she came down here in the first place. "You said we should talk about everything," she gestured towards all them, "in the morning. Well, it's the morning. So we need to talk."

Milah looked as though she was debating something in her head. She looked towards the ground, before she spoke. "Killian, Elizabeth's your daughter."

Though Emma had already figured it out, she was still quite a bit shocked, to say the least. She knew that this would through a huge obstacle in her and Killian's relationship. But thankfully, she also knew that no matter what, they would figure it out.

Killian hit his palm against his forehead. "Bloody hell," he muttered.

Emma inhaled sharply. At that very moment Henry, Mary Margaret, David, Regina, and Robin came down the stairs, chattering away. They all went silent as they felt the tension in the room. "Is everything okay here?" Regina asked, the first to break the silence.

Milah cleared her throat. "I... don't know."

Elizabeth slowly sunk down in her chair in shock, her raven hair that had never looked more like Killian's than now falling in front of her eyes. She took a few shallow breathes. Elizabeth looked around the abandoned lobby, the only home she had had ever known. She could smell the same damp smell that she woke up to every day, and she could hear'raindrops outside. When had it started raining? Never mind. Elizabeth put her hand on the soft wood of the table she sat beside. She looked out towards the tarp that let in the cold and some of the rain. "You never told me... You never told me anything..."

The blonde saviour placed a hand over her hardly showing abdomen. Everything has changed, she thought. But she somewhat new what Milah felt like right now, having been through something similar herself. "Elizabeth, you should'n't be so hard on your mother. She did what's— I mean, I've been through something— You just shouldn't be so hard on her."

"I thought it would be better if maybe you didn't know," Milah said. "That way, you wouldn't get hurt."

Regina slowly sat down in one of the chairs. "So this might be a bad time, but how are we going to get home? There is also the issue of the dark baby."

Killian ignored Regina. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Milah started crying,tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, but I didn't until I was dead! I had to raise my daughter in The Underworld! Can you understand how difficult that is?"

Everyone began to calm down, realizing it was not a good time for tension. Killian said, "You're right, I'm sorry."

"I wouldn't want to raise this one in The Underworld either," Emma said, gesturing to her stomach. "It's just that this sort of adds a lot of confusion to our already messed up lives."

"Speaking of raising babies in The Underworld," Mary Margaret said, "if we don't get home, that might be exactly what we have to do. And, David, how do we know that the fairies are taking good care of Neal?"

"You can't get home?" Milah said. "You're alive, that's what Elizabeth said, right? Because, if you are, there might be a way I can get you home. If any of you have magic, maybe you can bring Elizabeth and I home, too."

"That seems like the best plan," Henry said, finally entering the conversation. "But we do need to figure out what to do about the prophecy and the baby."

The heroes talked amongst themselves, determining the best plan of action. Finally, it was settled. Emma and Hook would make the trek up the Dark Mountains to find Hades. Legend told that Hades had a special flame that had the utmost power. It could be used almost as a "Get Out of The Underworld Free" card, which is why it was kept by Hades. They all decided that if Emma and Killian lived long enough to meet Hades and live to tell about, they would then determine what there next move was. The plan wasn't perfect, but it was all they had.


	7. Stormy Weather

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but I thought this would be cute. By the way, I'm also on Wattpad with the same pen name. Anyway, on with the show!

Emma and Killian began their ascent up the Dark Mountains at dawn, carrying a small brown sack filled with just enough food to last a day. Emma could hear the dead town beginning to wake, like a beast awaking from its slumber. She could smell the dew that covered the leaves and flowers; the whole mountain smelling very earthy. The sky was orange, pink, and red.

"Red sky at morning; sailors warning," Killian mused. "There'll likely be a storm later."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Emma asked, knowing she was stepping on unsteady ground, figuratively and quite literally.

"Talk about what?" Killian asked, stepping on a shaky rock. He tripped and caught the ledge, climbing back up as he regained his composure.

Emma helped him back up onto the ledge. "Elizabeth. Do you want to talk about Elizabeth?"

"What's there to talk about? I have a da- daughter." The pirate stumbled over the last word, clearly still in shock.

"Yeah, I've been there. I mean I knew I had given birth to Henry, but there was still that moment of 'I don't have a son'. Now we've got another baby on the way." Emma sat down on the ledge. "Lets not talk about Elizabeth or Milah during our climb up the mountain. It's just you and me. Five minute break?"

Killian nodded as he sat down. Emma waved her hand making a bag of food from Granny's appear. They both smiled, looking into each others eyes. "Onion rings, I'm assuming?" Killian chuckled slightly.

"Yup," Emma laughed. "What kind of names are you thinking of for the baby?"

He thought for a moment. "Something swan themed," he grinned. "Like Odette, or Odile."

"Swan Lake? You know about that?" Emma asked, surprised.

"I was in your world for quite a bit, wasn't I? If I had a talking phone, I'm pretty sure I could figure out what a ballet was," he said, mistakenly pronouncing the 'T'.

"Bal-LAY," Emma corrected, smirking. "But I do like the name Odette. Eli also sounds cool though. It's a good name for a boy or a girl."

Killian nodded. "Do you know what this reminds me of? That first trip up the beanstalk."

"Ahh, yes. But I do like that we are on much better terms now."

"As do I, Swan."

Emma looked up and saw the clouds beginning to roll. Storm clouds. "Looks like you were right," she said. "That's gonna be one hell of a storm."

"Where could we possibly find shelter on the side of a bloody mountain?" Killian said.

Emma looked around. "Up there!" She shouted, pointing to a cave a little further up as it began to rain— no, pour— down on them. The two ex-Dark Ones quickly scaled up the mountain, which is quite impressive considering Killian's hook. They made it to the cave without many trips or falls, although Emma did obtain a large gash on her arm from slipping on a wet rock.

"Are you all right, love?" Killian asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," Emma said, wincing in pain as she clutched her arm.

"No, you're not. Show me your arm."

Emma reluctantly showed him her arm."It's really nothing."

Killian just ripped off a piece of fabric from the sack, before using it to bandage Emma's arm. "I'm not taking any chances."

Emma sighed, secretly happy to have someone care so much. "I guess we're setting up camp here."

"The cold stone looks very comfortable."

"Oh, shush. Just be happy that we're not out there in the rain; targets for the lightening," Emma said. "I'm pretty sure that that hook makes you twice as likely to get struck by lightning."

Killian grinned before settling down on the stone with Emma. "The lightening wouldn't hit a devilishly handsome pirate, would it?"

Emma rested her head on his chest. "It would if I wasn't hear to save you."

The pair fell asleep in each others arms, happy to away from the drama that still sizzled back at the apartment building. They each wore smiles on their faces as they drifted to sleep.


	8. Hades, King of the Underworld

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Emma awoke to see the roof of the cave. She closed her eyes and listened to the droplets of water that fell from the mouth of the cave. All she heard was just that, except for Killian's steady breathing of course. The storm was over.

"Killian?" she whispered. Killian mumbled something in reply. "The storm's over."

The ex-pirate opened his eyes halfway. "Hmmm? What time is it?"

"Um, judging from the sun, about mid afternoon."

He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Well then we better get a move on, love."

Emma smiled as they stood up. "I love you."

Killian grinned back at her happily. "I love you too, Emma."

They climbed out the mouth of the cave, nearly slipping in a few puddles. Emma climbed, scaling a large boulder that was in her way. She looked up. "I'm going to go out on a limb here, and assume we're getting close the top," Emma said, pointing to the swirling clouds.

They pulled themselves up and onto the peak. "This doesn't exactly look like your average mountain, Killian."

"You're very correct, my dear," said a voice.

Emma peered around a chair, having ducked behind it with Killian. The speaker stood on a majestic throne, feet up on an ornate stool. He had a crown sitting lopsidedly on his head, and the look on his face told onlookers that everything was an amusing game to him. A slave girl scurried out of the room, a tray overflowing with leftover food of the grandest kind in hand. "Hades," Killian said under his breath.

"Ah, how are you, Captain? Finally going to stick around this time?"

"I don't exactly plan on it, thank you very much."

"Are you sure, Killian?" Hades grinned. "The haze is extra red this time of year. Say, who's that girl with you? I can't see her face."

Emma and Killian stepped out from behind the chair. "Em–," Emma began.

"Emma Swan, The Saviour," he said, waiting for them to bow. Emma gave him a puzzled look. "Your reputation precedes you. The Captain told me all about you during our 'meetings'."

She looked at Killian. "What meetings?"

"You didn't tell her about our little meetings? But we had so much fun!" Hades said, covering his mouth in mock surprise. "Remember that one time where I tortured you so much that you looked like a zombie and couldn't open one eye? Good times, good times."

Killian looked down at his feet.

"Oh my god, Killian! Are you still hurt?" Emma asked putting an arm around his neck. She looked towards Hades. "I'll get you for this, you son of a–"

"Emma. Look at me. I'm fine, see?" Killian said, turning Emma's chin towards him so she was looking at him.

Emma nodded slowly, turning back towards the man (if you could call him that) sitting on the throne. A flicker of emerald flame caught her eyes from behind the throne. It flickered from green to crimson, crimson to icy blue. It was the flame that could get them out of The Underworld. She whispered to Hook, "Keep him distracted."

"So, what are you doing in my little domain?" Hades said.

"Hades, I'm willing to make a deal to get out of The Underworld," Emma watched Killian say as she snuck around the other side of the chair, staying low. "So what say you, Demon, shall we make a deal?"

"Oh pirate, who do I look like, Rumpelstiltskin? You know I'm much more dashing that that old scumbag."

Emma crept behind the throne, reaching for the flame. Wait, you can't just grab fire. She pulled her arm away and looked for something that could contain the flame. She spotted a a crystal jar nearby. Emma jumped up to grab the jar, hoping that there was nothing in it already. She sighed with relief after opening the jar. It was empty. Reaching forward with the jar in one hand and the lid in another like she did in Neverland a few years ago with coconuts, she grabbed for the flame. Emma tried to get the flame in the jar, but–

"Oh, how adorable!" Hades exclaimed. He stepped down of his throne and looked behind it at Emma. She froze, her eyes scanning the mountaintop, looking for an escape. "Somebody thought that they could steal from me."

Emma shoved the flame into the jar. Hades walked over to her and plucked the jar–and the flame–out of her arms. With a flick of his hands, Emma's wrists were bound with chains. "No!" shouted before a scarf appeared over her mouth.

"You too, Captain," Hades grinned as the same thing happened to Killian. His wrists were bound and his mouth muffled. He gave a warning look to Emma. "Don't even try, Princess. My magic may work here, but yours certainly won't." He tapped on the ground six times with his foot. A small trap door opened, and after setting the jar back down, he began to lead Emma and Killian into the dungeon below.

Whew. Sorry I haven't updated in a while.

Wasn't Souls of the Departed a fantastic episode? I wished there had been a little more "Let's save Hook" in that episode, but Henry meeting Henry was adorable, and I'll never get tired of seeing good Regina as well as evil Regina in all her fabulousness.

Please feel free comment what thought, and my PM is always open.

Thanks, Paris Bridgewater


	9. Jail

Emma leaned her head against the bars. Hades' prison was not unlike any jail she had been in before. She looked at the cell across from her, where Killian leaned against the back wall. There were likely about ten cells in the prison, five in a row, each with a cell across from it. Emma and Killian's cells were the only ones with the tiny little lightbulbs that hung above their heads aglow.

"Who else has joined me down here?" asked a voice that came from a cell three to cells to the right of Killian. It was a clearly masculine voice that seemed to have piqued Hook's interest, a look that was a cross between surprise, shock, and joy

Emma looked up. Anyone down here could pose a threat, and it was best to be at the ready. "Who's there?" she responded, not letting her guard down.

"Name's Liam Jones," he said, stepping out of the shadows.

"Liam?" said Killian, trying to see his brother in the other cell.

"Killian? Has my little brother finally caught up to me in the Underworld?"

Killian grinned. "Not quite. I was, but I have a family to raise, and I'd like to raise them back in Storybrooke."

"You have a family now?" Liam asked happily. "It took you quite a while to settle down." Seeing Emma, he added, "Who are you?"

Emma introduced herself. "Killian's told me all about you. It's good to finally meet you, though I wish it was under better circumstances." She gestured to the cells around them.

"Are you two together?" he asked.

"We are," Killian beamed.

"And you're expecting?"

"What?" Emma said, shocked. "Yes, but how do you know that?"

Liam chuckled. "What my brother said about raising a family, and the fact that you've had a hand over your abdomen this whole time."

The Saviour blushed, her cheeks a bright red colour. "Oh, um, that," she said, stumbling over her words as she realized what she had subconsciously been doing. "But I don't plan on giving birth in jail again, so we should probably try to find a way out of here. I could pick the lock, if I had something to pick it with..."

"Again?" Liam asked before noticing a piece of metal wire, almost like barbed wire, on the floor of his cell. "Would this work?"

"Definitely," Emma said as she reached through the bars and Liam tossed it into her hand. "And yes, again." She turned her attention to the lock and began to pick it. "It's all about the tumblers," she said, before hearing a click and opening the cell door. She quickly did the same thing for Killian and Liam. Soon, the three of them stood in the middle of the hallway, planning their escape.

"We still need the flame," said Killian.

"I'll grab it," Emma volunteered. "Liam, I'm assuming you know the way through The Underworld, back to the middle of town?"

"I do. If we head down the back of the mountain, we'll be able to go through the woods," he responded. "There's a magical wishing well in the forest. We'll be safe around it."

"Then that's our plan," Hook said. "Emma and I'll get the flame, then meet you at the wishing well."

"Until then, brother," Liam said, patting Killian on the back, as three of them crept out of the prison.

"Stay safe, Liam," Emma said.

"Until then," Killian said.


	10. The Vows

Emma's wavy blonde hair bobbed behind her as she searched Hades' area at the top of the mountain. The Lord of Death was nowhere to be found. Odd, she thought. The Saviour looked across to Killian, as he searched the other side of the room.

To Emma's shock, she heard a snore. Turning her head, she saw Hades draped across his throne like a sleeping child.

"Is he... asleep?" whispered Hook.

Emma crept up to the throne, holding her breath in an effort not to wake him. She leaned down towards him. "He is!" she whisper-shouted. "And look, the flame!"

Emma was right, the flame was a perfectly easy arm's length away, still in its crystal jar. She grabbed it, and with a signal to Killian, they both began their trek down the mountain.

Emma and Killian came to the last bit of slope on the mountain, a grassy slope that was nothing but steep in the area protected by the wishing well. They spotted Liam at the well, who waved to them with a smile.

The happiest she had been in weeks, Emma ran to hug her pirate. Killian placed a kiss on the top of her head, as a silent moment of love was shared.

They tripped and rolled down the hill together, giggling like schoolchildren. Emma felt the soft grass on her skin, smiling when she reached the bottom, landing on top of Killian.

Giddy with happiness, Emma placed a kiss on his lips as he tangled his hands in her hair. "Marry me, Killian!"

As they both realized what she had just said, Emma pulled them both up in a sitting position. "Yes," she said, feeling sure. "Will you marry me, Killian?"

Hook grinned. "Aren't I supposed to ask you that?" he laughed. "And yes, Emma I will marry you, whenever you like."

A coy smile playing on her lips, Emma turned to face Liam. "Are ship captains licensed to perform weddings?"

"I'd be happy to marry the two of you."

A bouquet of wild flowers in hand, Emma walked slowly up to the well, where Killian stood with Liam standing behind him. She wore her red leather jacket, her armour, but this time she wore it with a new meaning. To her, the jacket was no longer a means of protecting herself, but a symbol of protecting her family: Henry, Killian, and, dark or not, this new child that she and Killian had created.

She arrived at the wishing well, Killian in complete awe. "Swan, you look stunning," he said.

Emma beamed, " I'm just wearing what I wear everyday."

"And still you are a vision."

Liam cleared his throat, smiling at the happy couple. "I have been with you two for not yet three hours and still I have been most fortunate to see the love that these to people share," he began. "I see how happy my little brother is, with the love of his life and a baby on the way. You may say your vows."

Killian brushed the soft hair out of Emma's eyes. "Emma Swan, from the moment I saw you, I thought you were beautiful. From the moment I met you, I knew you were clever and intelligent. And from the moment you left me on the beanstalk, I knew we had shared similar experiences that had toughened us and made us afraid to show vulnerability. Emma, I love you to the ends of every land that exists."

Blushing, with an ear-to-ear grin on her face, Emma began her vows. "Killian Jones, you saw my walls, and immediately knew that I needed someone to knock them down. At first, I refused to believe that I needed anyone, but that was never the truth. I need my parents, my son, and everyone else in my crazy, mixed up family. But most of all, I need you. Don't get me wrong, I can stand on my own, but you taught a broken soul to fly. I love you, Killian."

"Do you, Killian Jones, take Emma Swan, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do," said Killian.

"And do you, Emma Swan, take Killian Jones, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do," said Emma.

Liam looked at both of them, lost in each others eyes. "Do you have rings?"

Instantly, Emma made two simple gold bands appear, one for each of them. They slipped the bands on each others fingers, feeling love and happiness and excitement for the future.

"I know pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride."

Killian dipped Emma, and the couple shared a passionate kiss next to the wishing well.


	11. The Fire Burns Brightest

"We got the flame!"

Everyone's heads turned to Emma and Killian, the former who was carrying the jar triumphantly above her head, in her right hand.

"Great," Elizabeth said with hungry eyes. "Bring it here so I can see."

Emma obliged, her left hand entwined in her husband's. She loved calling him that. Her husband who she loved dearly.

They had arrived back at the abandoned apartment building in day, making quick work of the less steep side of the mountain. It's likely the lovers would have made it back sooner, had they not stopped to rest in a field of middlemist flowers.

Elizabeth greedily grabbed the flame, before setting it down on the table. "This is perfect. Finally I'll be able to see what the land above is like."

Emma smiled. "I'm happy for you, Elizabeth." She looked up at Hook. "And I'm happy that we'll finally get to head home to our future, to our new family."

Regina spoke," Was it difficult getting the flame, Emma?"

"Oh! I didn't tell you? Hades caught us and threw us in his prison at the top of the mountain, and guess who was in there? Killian's brother Liam. We helped him escape. Anyways, we got out of there, and Hades was asleep on his throne." As she was telling the story, Emma walked around to the head of the table. "Clearly, we were able to get the flame."

"If you saved Liam, where is he?" David inquired.

"Hang on," Emma said, before quickly muttering something about impatience under her breath. "He said he had something to take care of and had to head off on his own after we saved him." Emma glanced toward her left hand. "But not before he, um, married us."

There were some very audible gasps heard from around the room, the loudest from David. "Oh," Elizabeth said in surprise. "Well, congratulations!"

"Congrats, Emma," Regina said.

"Thank you," said Emma, looking down.

Beaming, Snow came up to her daughter and gave her a big hug. "I'm so happy for you two! Was it special?" Emma nodded with a smile.

"It was the happiest moment of my life so far," said Killian, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"I bet it was beautiful! Though I must say, I wish I was there to see it."

"Maybe we could have a vow renewal."

Elizabeth butted in, holding up the flame. "I'm sure you can all discuss this when you get home."

"And how exactly will we do that?" Regina queried.

"I know how to make a portal with it," said the raven haired girl. "There's just one thing."

"What's that?" Snow asked.

Elizabeth's face darkened. "It has to be done at the entrance to Hell."

Emma's jaw dropped. Hadn't they been trying to avoid falling into a worse place this whole time?

Killian pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "We can finally go home, luv." He smiled against her golden tresses. "We can raise our family together."

Emma gulped. If she wanted to get home, she'd have to risk falling into an actual hell-hole. "We'll be fine, right?" she said, eyeing her 13-year-old son.

"Just so long as no one falls in."

She rolled her eyes. "Great. Makes me feel a lot better."

"I can take us all there," Regina said.

"With magic?" Elizabeth asked, eyebrows raised. "We're going to the entrance to hell. You wouldn't want accidentally magic yourself over the drop, would you?"

Regina nodded, annoyed about Elizabeth's sarcasm. "Point taken," she said, hands on hips.

Surprisingly, it wasn't a difficult walk to the entrance to a better place or a worse one. It was frequented by Underbrooke's population, as they liked to test it and see if it would lead them to a better place. Today though, it was empty.

Emma, Regina, Snow, David, Robin, Henry, Killian, Milah, and Elizabeth walked out onto the rock.

Killian kept an arm out in front of Henry in an attempt to keep him from going to far near the edge.

Emma peered over the edge at the lava. "Tell me again why it has to be here?"

Elizabeth was already busy preparing the portal. "There's a lot less protective barriers here. Hades never likes it when people leave the Underworld, but if they have to, he'd rather it be to a worse one."

"Ahhh," Emma said, not quite understanding.

Elizabeth unscrewed the lid of the jar, and dropped the magical flame on the stone at her feet. With a burst of blue light, she started to make the flame grow, until it was bigger than a full grown person. She flicked her wrist and a hole grew in the middle, showing Granny's Diner on the other side. "It's ready!" she singsonged, smiling brightly. "Just one more little thing."

Elizabeth's smile turned dark, and she spun around and ran towards Milah.

"Elizabeth?" Milah said, terrified.

"The portal's ready!" said Killian

"What are you doing?!" Emma shouted.

It couldn't have mattered less that Emma said anything, because, without warning, Elizabeth pushed Milah off the edge.


	12. This Is Why

Emma's POV

"Oops!" Elizabeth giggles. "I guess we have to change our plans. How does this sound? I get to live, and you can all rot here."

Elizabeth smiles wickedly, before taking a step toward me. My family moves closer to me, almost like a barricade, but I can't let any of them get hurt. I advance towards Elizabeth. "Why are you doing this?"

Her dark hair is tousled around her shoulders, forming a black halo around her head. Her blue eyes are filled with hatred, and I can tell she was never interested in helping us. She killed Milah, my mind screams, even though I know Milah is already dead. What happens when you fall to hell? Another thing plays through my head like a broken record. You are going to be killed by your true love's daughter.

"Don't you see it?" Elizabeth says turning to face Killian. "I blame you. You couldn't save my mother, and in turn you couldn't. Save. Me." She pauses between the last three words, jabbing a finger at Killian's chest. "And, when you finally show up in the Underworld, you don't give a damn about me. You're too busy doting over your new baby and this, this bitch," Elizabeth throws me a dirty look. Ouch. "To pay any attention to me. I've had two hundred years to learn how to hate you, and, hell, have I gotten good at it."

I look to Regina, trying to communicate with eye contact to make a double blast of magic. I assume she understands what I mean, 'cause she gives me a subtle head nod. I try to blast Elizabeth with magic, as does Regina, but instead of seeing the blasts of red and white like I'm used to, we're merely left standing there with our hands out in front of us like kids playing pretend.

Elizabeth laughs. "Did I forget to tell you? We are standing in an cave that is pure Underworld." What the hell does "Pure Underworld mean? "What matters to you is that no magic from The Land Above will work down here, but mine will." With a snap of her wrist all of our wrists and ankles are bound, and I'm forced to my knees. So is the rest of my family. "I propose another change of plans. One by one, each of you go falling over the edge. Daddy dearest, the blonde bitch, the Evil Queen, and everybody else." She stalks us like a cat, before walking back over to the edge. "Who goes first? Oh! I know. How about my new step-brother?"

Henry. She has Henry. He disappears in a puff of blue smoke, reappearing next to her at the edge. "Moms!" he shouts.

"Henry!" I have never felt so helpless in my life. Elizabeth kicks my son, and that feeling of helplessness is replaced by anger.

"My own father loves you more than he loves me." She leans in close to his ear. "But at least we have one thing in common. They're replacing us both with our baby sister."

"That's a lie!" I shout before I realize.

I'm having a daughter. A little girl. "Wait. How do you know we're having a girl?"

Elizabeth forces Henry to move closer to the edge. "The Dark One told me." Realizing she might have to be more specific, she added: "Rumpelstiltskin."

"You're working with him? Why would you do that? He's the one who killed Milah!"

Elizabeth sighed as if we were children she was trying to teach a simple concept to. "Do I really have to explain everything? I know he killed my mother. But he's offering me something I can't refuse. If I kill all of you, he frees me from this wretched hell. He's the one who told me where to find the flame." She bites her lip, then smiles. "I could have gotten it myself if I wanted to."

"Then why would you make Killian and I go all that way?" I query.

She rolls her eyes. "Come on, Emma. Didn't getting the flame seem a little easy to you?"

I guess... "Yeah, but-"

"No buts about it. I needed you to trust me. Would you have trusted me if I zapped up to the mountain, grabbed the flame, and zapped myself back down here within a few seconds?"

She's right, but I'd never admit that. "Who's to say I ever trusted you at all?"

Elizabeth sighs dramatically. "You did trust me, Emma. I reminded you of yourself. Rumpelstitskin told me exactly how to gain your trust. And by the way, I'm the one who slipped Hades the poppy dust."

"So everything you told us was a lie?" Maybe the prophecy is a lie too.

Elizabeth claps. "Bravo, Emma. Wonderful skills of deduction you've got there."

I'm slightly hopeful. "So the prophecy isn't real?"

"Whoops! That was true. I guess not everything was a lie." Her smile reminds me of the Cheshire Cat's. Of course that's the thing that's true.

She pushes Henry closer to the edge. "Okay, okay! I did trust you," I shout. "But please, don't hurt Henry! I'll do whatever you want!"

"Unfortunately for you, Emma, I'm not in the business of making deals with you." With a little wave, she pushes Henry off the edge.

"NO!" Henry's gone. He's gone. Out of the corner of my eye I can see my mother cut herself free with a knife she must've had hidden in her coat. She's freed me and the rest of my family,all of them running the the edge, and me remaining on the ground.

Elizabeth looks over the edge to make sure what she's done is final. But a hand reaches up and grabs on to her leg, sending her spiralling over the edge. Her screams can be heard until they come to an abrupt stop, when I'm sure she landed where she belongs.

The hand that pulled her down reaches up onto the cliff, followed by an arm. I run over to the edge, and Regina and I both pull Henry up onto the rock. "You're okay," a mutter before Regina and I both pull him into a bone-crushing hug, tears streaming down my face.

"Yeah, mom, I am," he whispers.

My dad points to the swirling green portal. "We have to get home before it closes."

Robin heads through the portal first, followed by Henry, then my parents, and finally Regina. I'm about to step through the portal, when I notice Killian standing by the ledge. "Killian? We have to leave. The portal's closing soon."

He looks down, as if ashamed of himself. "Do think it's my fault?"

I walk over to him, the lean my head on his shoulder. "I think you did everything you could to save Milah. It's not your fault what happened to her happened. Elizabeth chose to be angry about that. And I know you're going to be a great father to this little one," I say, placing a hand on my abdomen.

"I love you so much, Emma."

"I love you too," I reply, before we share a quick but passionate kiss. "We can talk more about this when we get home. To our home." I give him a quick peck on the cheek, before we walk through the portal, hands clasped. It might have been a stressful journey down here, but now we can head back home to some semblance of normal, together again.


	13. And Life Goes On

It had been five months since they Emma had found out that she was pregnant, five months since they had rescued Hook from the Underworld, and five months since Elizabeth had fallen to the depths of Hell. For once in Storybrooke, things were returning to normal.

"Henry! Hurry up! You're going to be late for school again." A six-months pregnant Emma waddled her way out of the kitchen and into the living room, grabbing her keys.

Henry ran down the stairs, his backpack slung over one shoulder. "I'm coming!"

"You've had-- what? Five tardies in only the first three weeks of ninth grade?" Emma blew a kiss to Killian who was attempting to wash up the last couple dishes after their breakfast of pancakes (with nutmeg, of course) and hot cocoa with cinnamon. "I'll be right back after I drop Henry off at school. See you later!"

Killian smiled. "See you later!"

"Bye, Killian," Henry said as he was walking out the door. "Oh, and for your information, Mom, I've only been late four times so far."

Emma followed him out the door. "Move it, or it will be five. I don't particularly enjoy it when your grandmother complains to me about your attendance."

She made her way down the front porch and out to the bug, before sliding into the driver's seat. Henry turned on the radio, and they drove off.

"What are we going to do about her darkness?" Killian said, running his hands through his hair, clearly stressed.

Emma left the book she was reading through and walked over to her husband. They had been going through the library for hours, attempting to find some solution to their whole debacle. She rested her head against his shoulder and said, "I'm not quite sure we should do anything at all. My parents took away my potential for darkness, and I still ended up the dark one." She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "What if trying to prevent her darkness just ensures it?"

Killian smiled weakly. "You're probably right, luv. You usually are."

"I know. We'll just have to raise her right."

Emma had expected that it would be difficult readjusting to life in Storybrooke wouldn't be easy, especially for Killian, but the two of them had slipped right back into their daily lives. The days included a bit of modification, of course, now that they were married and Emma was at the end of her second trimester.

When they had first gotten back, they had enjoyed a celebration at Granny's (which Killian had warned them against, as bad things always happened when the celebrated at Granny's). It had gone wonderfully though, with Emma and Killian telling the residents of Storybrooke the news of their marriage. They hadn't told them about Emma's pregnancy, but they figured it out soon enough.

Emma knew that Ruby, Snow, and Regina were throwing her a baby shower, because her mother had accidentally let it slip. They had been eating at Granny's when Ruby came up to them, and asked if she could talk to Snow in private. Emma had asked her mother about it when she returned to the table.

"What was that about?" she said, biting into an onion ring.

Snow slid back into her seat. "Ruby wanted to know if I was getting balloons."

Emma frowned. "What for?"

The ebony haired woman froze. "It's your father's birthday."

"No, it's not." Emma squinted at her mother. She didn't need her super power to tell her mother was lying.

Snow sighed, and looked around before leaning in. "The balloons are for a baby shower." Seeing Emma's face, she added, "Your baby shower."

"Woah, woah, mom, you don't need to do that," said Emma, putting her hands up slightly in defence.

"Emma! We want to!" Snow spoke in a hushed voice, but there was some exasperation. "Come on, please? I wasn't there for your wedding."

"Hey! That's not fair," she retorted. "And I told you we'd do a vow renewal, which I want you there for."

"When is that going to be?"

"After I have the baby," Emma answered, before getting Ruby's attention and asking her for something to take the onion rings home in. Seeing her mothers face, she sighed. "Fine. But only a few people."

Snow brightened up instantly. "Absolutely. Just Ruby, Regina, and I."

"Good." Emma dumped the leftover onion rings into a bag that Ruby had given her, and passed Ruby some cash. She checked her phone, a look of surprise coming over her face. "I'll see you later. Apparently Gold finally showed up back in town."

"Really?" Snow asked, rather shocked. "You'd better get going then. I've got some things I need to do." She smiled at Emma, who slid out of the booth. "I'll see you later."

Emma waved, before walking out the door, on her way to Gold's shop.

 **A/N**

Hello!

I'm sorry it's been so long. I feeling very interested in writing, but now I'm back.

Last weekend, I went to OUATVAN, which was absolutely AWESOME!! I got to take a picture with Jen, who is beautiful and super nice, and when they were doing the panel, I got to ask them a question. It was so great to make eye contact with and talk to my heroes. Jen even complimented me on the book I made to look like the storybook. It was so great, and I found it kind of funny that on the flight back the pilot's name was Colin, and one of the flight attendants name was Jennifer. It was sooo much fun!


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